March 11th, 2011
Prescott area population rising despite recession
Despite the economic recession in recent years, the population of nearly all of Yavapai County’s communities grew between 2000 and 2010, except in Ash Fork, Seligman and Sedona.
Yavapai registered the third-fastest growth of Arizona’s 15 counties, increasing 26 percent to 211,033 between 2000 and 2010.
Pinal County grew at a much higher rate than any other Arizona county at 109 percent to a population of 375,770, making it the third-largest county behind Maricopa and Pima. Mohave was the second-fastest growing county at 29 percent, pushing its population into fifth place.
Yavapai County government officials were confident enough that the county’s official population would top 200,000 that they already are proceeding on redistricting the county from three to five supervisor districts, which state law requires for populations higher than 200,000.
Arizona was the second-fastest-growing state in the nation during the last decade, and Phoenix is the country’s sixth-largest city.
Hispanics helped fuel the state’s growth. Their numbers increased by 600,000 while their share of the population rose from 25.3 percent to 29.6 percent. The national average is 12.5 percent.
The Hispanic/Latino numbers in Yavapai County grew from 9.8 percent of the population in 2000 to 13.6 percent of the population in 2010, with nearly all of the rest of the population being white.
The Hispanic/Latino numbers also grew in the Prescott region.
As a recession gripped Arizona in recent years, the county’s vacant housing grew from 14.1 percent of the housing units in 2000 to 17.7 percent of the units in 2010. The percent of vacant housing also grew in the Prescott region.
Prescott Valley, among the fastest-growing municipalities in the state with a 65 percent increase in population during the first decade of the 21st century, also saw its percent of vacant housing more than double.
Population changes will affect redistricting efforts at the county supervisor, legislative and congressional district levels.
While Prescott’s population grew over the decade, its numbers dropped from the Census’ 2009 estimate. That means it could get a smaller share of the revenue-sharing pie from the state and federal governments.
That was the biggest surprise in his first glance at local Census numbers released Thursday, Prescott Valley planner Joe Scott said.
Yavapai County Development Services Director Steve Mauk said he also was surprised by Prescott’s numbers. Prescott officials said they had not yet reviewed the numbers.
PV numbers “held up pretty good,” Scott added.
Prescott’s population grew 17.4 percent from 33,938 in 2000 to 39,843 in 2010. The percentage of Hispanic/Latino residents grew slightly from 8.2 percent to 8.6 percent. The percent of vacant versus occupied housing units grew from 11.9 percent to 16 percent.
Prescott Valley’s population grew 65 percent from 23,535 to 38,822. The percentage of Hispanic/Latino residents grew from 11.1 percent to 16.7 percent. The share of vacant housing units grew from 5.5 percent to 12.2 percent.
Chino Valley’s population grew 38 percent, from 7,835 to 10,817. The percentage of Hispanic/Latino residents grew from 9.8 percent to 15 percent. The share of vacant homes grew from 6.9 percent to 11.5 percent.
Yavapai County and Prescott planning officials said they were having trouble viewing some of the Census numbers online Thursday afternoon.
The statistics focused on populations by race, and housing occupancy rates.
The Census has not yet released more detailed statistics that look at social and economic trends.
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